Sessions with Team Avatar
by presidentuziel
Summary: Bolin, Mako, Asami, and Lin Bei Fong start seeing psychologists on a regular basis. Through these sessions they discover who they really are, and their psychologists learn just how messed up their world's protectors can be.
1. Bolin's First Session

"You don't have to be so tense, Bolin. Relax. These chairs are overstuffed for a reason. I've had patients fall asleep on me before there," Dr. Qin said. Bolin stopped twiddling his thumbs and gave an uneasy grin.

"Yeah, right, sorry, Doc."

"You don't have any reason to apologize, Bolin. What're you thinking about? What's on your mind right now."

"Well, uh, I've heard stuff. You know, things. About docs. Like you."

"What have you heard?"

"That you get into people's minds and use your super-secret training to control them to act accord to your whim, and that you and your colleagues are fighting a super-secret shadow war that is bent on taking over the United Republic from within, as many famous, rich, and powerful people all see shrinks," Bolin admitted. Dr. Qin blinked, smirked, started writing on his pad. Bolin started to shiver and shirk away from Dr. Qin. Dr. Qin's hands shook, then snorted, and then burst into laughter. Bolin let out a few nervous 'heh's', himself, now frightened.

"I'm sorry, Bolin, but that's a new one," Dr. Qin admitted, "I mean, patients tell me all sorts of things about being nervous with seeing a psychologist. But that was a new one. Where…Where did you hear that?"

"A…Buddy of mine. Ex-Triad," he gulped, "You're not gonna tell Mako I still hang out with Shin, are you? I mean, I've known the guy since I was a kid, and he's not doing so great these days, and-"

Dr. Qin held up his hand, "Bolin, everything you say here is under strict confidentiality. I would lose my Doctorate if I told anyone."

"_Anything?_ What if I told you that I'd murdered someone?" Bolin raised an eyebrow, "Or that I'd heard super secret state secrets, that I can't tell to ANYONE under the most dire of circumstances, but I just can't! Keep! Them! On! My! Chest!" Bolin was standing and clutching his shirt.

"The only circumstances I could tell anyone anything, including that you were one of my patients, was if I thought your life, or the life of someone else, was in danger, and _even then,_ there's only so much I could say to the authorities," Dr. Qin explained, "And no, Bolin. I'm not fighting a shadow war with the intent to take over the government."

"Oh. Good. So long as you're honest about it," Bolin sat back down.

"You mentioned your friend, Shin. Who's Mako?"

"Oh, right. Mako, he's my brother. He's a firebender. He's handsome, cool, charming, you know. Perfect at _everything._"

"Uh huh."

"He's got a job as a Police Officer now, and what am I doing? His old job! Leading the Fire Ferrets! I'm not even doing well at that! The only record the Fire Ferrets hold, is quickest loss!" Bolin groaned, pacing across the room, "And…And he! He had the most amazing girlfriend, you know? Smart, pretty, super rich, smart, did I say she was pretty?"

"You mentioned it."

"Yeah! And you know what he does? He _dumps_ her for Korra, who _I_ was interested in! That he knew _I_ was pursuing! I mean, it's bad enough he's good at everything as it is!"

"It seems that you don't agree with his choices, and you resent his success."

"Yeah! He's got everything, and I'm stuck with whatever he discards!" Bolin sat back in the fluffy chair with a soft 'fwump.'

"I understand that you two are orphans? Did you have anyone raising you?"

"No, it was just me and him. Coupla street kids. Nothing from our parents, just a scarf. That _he_ got. But Mako…He kept us fed. Kept us alive. I love him, he's my brother, and I'm grateful that he's been there for me for so long, but…"

Bolin rested his arms against his knees.

"We're still making our own way, and I'm still following him. I want to lead the Fire Ferrets, and do a good job, but I don't know how to lead my team. Or even put one together. I didn't get any advice, and I'm afraid to ask."

"Why is that?"

Bolin snorted, "'Cuz Mako's gonna be like, '_Bolin, weren't you listening? You gotta do this! You gotta do that! No you're doing it wrong, nyeh nyeh nyeh!'_ I'm supposed to be the boss now, not him."

"You don't want him to take your authority away now that you have some of your own."

Bolin paused, thinking about that. He made a slow nod, "Yeah. I hadn't thought of it that way."

"That's why you pay me the big bucks."

"I thought the government was covering this?"

"It's a figure of speech, I'm sorry. Maybe you should approach Mako a different way about getting his advice for your team. Don't ask for his advice, have a discussion. Sit with him, as equals. You now share a position with Mako: Captain of the Fire Ferrets. Don't be his little brother, be his colleague, his peer."

Bolin nodded.

"I've seen you in the ring, Bolin, you're good at what you do. I hate to see you fail now just because you've got a new roster."

"You follow the Pro Bending matches?"

"Aww, yeah! The way you stood up in that tiebreaker, bringing your brother aside like that? Man, my buddies and I were chatting for weeks about that! Then you kicked that guy's butt, ONE TWO! Stuff of legends, Bolin!"

"Heh, thanks, Doc. I appreciate that."

"Now, what about Shin?"

"Shin. He looked out for us, too. He always seemed like a scumbag to Mako, but…He gave us work when we didn't deserve it. He's not a saint, and he's certainly no brother. But I remember, this one time, Shin was going to get food for the rest of the guys, and Mako asks him to get us some food, too, and he gives Shin all of our money, which is not enough for an equal share of the food. Shin just looks at us, nods his head, and takes our money. And he's the one who hooked us up at the Bending Arena in the first place. We owe him a lot, even if we cut ties with the Triad."

"But you still affiliate with Shin."

"Yeah, I mean, we still hang once in a while. I like to get him away from the rest of the Triad, walk along the docks and stuff, talk it up. Just hang out, old buds, you know?"

"Nothing wrong with that."

"I don't think Mako would approve, though, if he knew."

"Mako's approval means a lot to you."

"Yeah…"

"If Mako told you to stop spending time with your friend, what would you do?"

"I…I don't know…"

"Well, that's what therapy is for, Bolin. You have to understand your own feelings and emotions first. Then you can make better decisions about the things that you want."

Bolin nodded slowly, "Yeah, all right. So…What…What do I _feel_ about Shin?"

"That would be one of my questions for you, yes."

"I feel…Like…He's…Um…"

"Take your time, Bolin."

"He's…Part of my past."

"Yes?"

"He's someone that I…I did things for. He helped protect us. Found us places to sleep. It was always in exchange for something. Shin had a business arrangement with us, but now that I'm on my own, I can know Shin as a person, not just as a member of the Triad. And I think that Shin appreciates the time we share together, because with me, he can just be Shin, and not Shady Shin. And that…That makes me feel good. And I want more of that."

Dr. Qin nodded, "Very good. People think they understand what they feel, but when it comes down to it, until the articulate what they feel, they don't really understand it. That's why we say people do things they don't understand. People feel, but not think about their emotions."

"Right, right. So, uh, by talking about my feelings, I can figure out exactly what it is that I'm feeling?"

"Like your feelings toward Mako."

"Right. With his two-timing of Asami. I mean, after all she's _done_ for us, he's gonna stab both her _and _me in the back? If I hadn't been there for her, I don't know if she would have made it through her father's trial."

"Did you and Asami become close?"

"Well, yeah, we've been through a lot together. I mean, not, like, well, you know, as a _couple._ She's my _friend._ I mean, should…I? Does she…?"

"I don't know, Bolin. What do you feel about Asami?"

Bolin stared at the impressionist painting on Dr. Qin's wall. There was a line sticking out of a perfect sphere, which became erratic and split off the further it got from the sphere.

"I…Want to be there for her. The way I am for Shin. I _like _being there for people. I like making them smile, and making them feel like themselves. There's no lies, it's all honesty, and I like being honest. I like being honest with my friends, my brother, and myself. If Asami feels more than that for me, then…Then I can work with that. But I don't want to…Ugh, I don't want to say it like _that._ I don't want to _exclude_ anything with Asami, but it's not on my mind."

"Good. That is _excellent,_ Bolin. I think this has been a very productive session."

"Wait…Is that it?"

"For this week."

"Oh, okay. So, uh, I guess…I'll, uh…I'll go…Then…Find…Something to do."

"Do you want my advice?"

"That's why I pay you the big bucks."

"Take some time to contemplate what you've learned today. Find something that relaxes you, and sort out what you want to do. What are some of the things we talked about?"

"We talked about Shin, and Mako, and the Fire Ferrets, and…Uh…Oh, Mako leaving Asami."

"Right. So, think about what's important to you. What do you want to do first, and what do you want to do about it. And then, if you want the most out of these sessions, go and do it."

"Right. Contemplation. Action. Got it."

"Knock 'em out, there, Champ," Dr. Qin smiled as Bolin marched confidently out of the office.


	2. Bolin's Second Session

Dr. Qin was smoking his pipe on the balcony of his office. He had an excellent view of the city from here. He was just far in enough to be part of the hustle and bustle, but far enough to still have a view. Not quite a suburb, not quite the city. He loved it here. He grew up in the country, but his father filled him with stories of Republic City. It all seemed so magical to him. When he'd come to the University to become a Doctor, he found that those stories were true. He didn't turn into the doctor he expected to be, but he was a doctor nonetheless.

There was a knock at the door, and Dr. Qin turned to see who it was. Bolin entered, looking pensive. Dr. Qin shook his head, letting out a puff of smoke. Bolin, he'd forgotten he had an appointment with him.

"Bolin, come in, I was just taking a smoke break. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, not at all. You, uh, got another one of those?"

"You sure you can handle it? I've been smoking a long time, Bolin, this aren't for beginners."

Bolin picked up a second pipe next to the herb box, took an experienced pinch from the box, accepted the lighter from Dr. Qin, and took in a deep breath from the pipe. Bolin let out a long, exhausted sigh of smoke from his lungs, displaying his impressive capacity. Dr. Qin let out a warm chuckle.

"I can't say I'm surprised."

"It's an occasional treat," Bolin smile, "Not an addiction or anything like that."

"So what's on your mind today? How'd everything go?"

"Well, it all…It all went well," Bolin nodded solemnly, "I talked to Mako, about the Fire Ferrets. As Captain to Captain. It was great, talking shop with him, Mako's got this _glow_ to him when he talks about Pro Bending. He gave me a lot of good advice and…"

He took another smoke of his pipe, rolling the smoke in his mouth and nose before letting it go. He stared at the city for a little while.

"I talked to my team, taking Mako's advice, and we ended up having a 'discussion.' And we all decided it was best if I found different players. Which…Means…As of right now, the Fire Ferrets include myself. And no one else."

Dr. Qin shook his head, "I'm sorry to hear that."

Bolin shrugged, "It's all right. It gives me time to put together a new team and break them in, you know? Get to know my new players, get some synergy for next season. But…It does mean I'll need a day job. So I went to Asami, and she wants me as her personal liaison to Varrick, until she can sort out what-Well, it's all very technical, I don't want to bore me."

"It's a psychologist, Bolin, it' smy job to listen to all of your boring stuff."

"Like what?"

"I can't tell you that. But I've heard some pretty mundane things. In comparison, you're pretty exciting. I mean, Captian of the Fire Ferrets? Future Industries liaison to Varrick himself? You're hardly a typical person, Bolin. You've come a long way from doing odd jobs with Shady Shin."

"I guess you're right," Bolin smiled, his mood recovering. He took another puff. Dr. Qin had finished his, but he still nibbled at the end of his pipe. Bolinw as pensive for a few more moments before Dr. Qin interjected again.

"What's on your mind now?"

"Just…Everything's gone in a different direction that I intended."

"Where did you intend to be?"

"A year ago? Pro bending world champ! But…That didn't work out. We got beaten because of bribery and unsportsmanlike behavior."

"Unsportsmanlike to say the least. Load of crap, that match."

"And, well, I really wanted to be Korra's boyfriend, but…That didn't work out, either. So now I'm just…Taking what I can get, really. I feel like I'm settling for second best, you know? Second captain to the Fire Ferrets, assistant to Asami, having Korra's cousin instead of Korra herself. And boy, did that last one not work out. Like, _seriously_ did. Not. Work. Out. _Wow_ that was…Heh, that was a _mistake_. A _big_ one."

"You didn't have a great relationship with her, I'm guessing."

"No! She's totally crazy, and needy, and…And dominating! Whenever I'm around her, I'm her _slave!_ And I couldn't talk. Not to her, not to her equally creepy brother. I have to do exactly what she says or…Or…"

"Or…?"

"I…Am not sure, really. I…Never disobeyed her. I never found out what she'd do other than being extra creepy."

"Creepy? Why don't we start from the beginning. What originally attracted you to her?"

"Well, I thought…She was…Kinda cute. And she's Korra's cousin, you know, I figured she'd be a lot like her. Confident, funny, brash."

"And was she?"

"Well…Eska's not lacking for confidence. She would never accept 'no' from me. Or anyone else."

"So that's one of three."

"And when we went to the South Pole, she and her brother wanted to go with us, even though they didn't really have any reason to be there."

"That's two. What about humor?"

"Well, I've heard her laugh, but…I…Don't…Ever want to hear _that_ again. Eugh. Creepy."

"So not so much on the humor."

"Well, maybe. I guess she took a certain kind of creepy pleasure from tormenting me, treating me like her slave. Never had a say in _anything._ So glad to be on the other side of the planet from her right now."

"So it sounds like it was a good thing you broke up."

"Well, let's just say I do not look forward to bumping into her."

"She didn't take it well?"

"Not at _all._ I mean, I was starting to think that she was just messing with me, having fun at my expense, like a bully, but…When I ran away…I saw her face, Doc. She had _murder_ on mind. Eska is, like, an _extremely_ powerful Bender. She was racing along the _ocean._ I didn't think me running away would affect her, I just thought she'd be like…Move on. But she was _distraught._ First time I'd ever seen her show any emotion other than being bored or annoyed. _That,_ more than anything else, terrified me."

"You fear her."

"Heck yeah, I fear her! Man, when she finds me, and she _will_ find me, she is going to _stab me with icicles._ They'd never convict her! There'd be no murder weapon!"

"Do you think your life is in danger?"

"Nah, I've got backup. And I'm…Pretty sure she'd torture me first, so I'd have some time for a rescue before the final blow. Besides, my brother's a Police Detective. I'm connected. I'm not worried. Much. Too much. Okay, I'm a bit worried, but you don't need to do anything, Doc." Bolin stared at Dr. Qin, "Please help."

Dr. Qin let out a laugh, "I'm not sure what I could do to scare off your ex-girlfriend, Bolin. I'm a Bender but not a particularly good one. You want me to psycho-analyze her for you? I can refer her to a good colleague. That's about it."

Bolin sighed, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"But I can help you prepare for the inevitable confrontation with her. She seems to be a very dominating young woman from what you've told me. Trying to counter her dominance with strength might not be the right call. She could see that as a threat to the authority she believes she has over you. But you can't submit to her every whim, either."

"Then what do I do?"

"You know her better than I do. I've only got hearsay. What do you think might work?"

"I have _no_ idea."

"Let's try this again. What do you want to say to her?"

"I…Want to say to her…That I don't like being treated like a thing. That she's not the boss of me. I don't want to overpower her, I just want to go on my own path, you know? But she's too powerful to just stand up to. So…What else could I do?"

Dr. Qin shrugged, "Well, you've already left the abusive relationship. But you don't think that your interactions with Eska are at an end. You can't let her have power and control. That's different from matching her power with your own. Bring her to your level, don't try to go up to hers. Ignore whatever power she tries to put on you. Her intimidation is just a scare tactic. It doesn't mean anything, and if she actually does try to strike you, get away from her until you can get help. You don't have to go through this alone."

"Right."

"Also keep in mind, most people who are the abuser in a relationship have a history of some kind of abuse. Whatever she's done to you, she may have had done to her. By not allowing her to have the same power over you, you break that cycle, at least as it is directed towards you. Then, when you've said your peace, you leave. Don't let her try to re-establish her control of you. Only you can cede that to her, Bolin."

"Unless she freezes me in a block of ice."

"Unless she freezes you in a block of ice," Dr. Qin nodded, "In which case you need the police, not a psychologist. Hopefully your life won't be put in mortal danger in between this week and next week, because that's all the time we have."

"Aww, really? All right. I'll see you later, then, Doc."


	3. Asami's First Session

Asami knocked on the door, "Hello? Doctor Qin?"

A woman stepped into the lobby, smiling, "I am Dr. Qin. How can I help you?"

"You're…A woman, Bolin said that Dr. Qin was a man…"

"Dr. Qin is my husband. I am Qin Yang, his wife, and his partner. We run this practice together."

"I set up a meeting with Dr. Qin yesterday, I thought that I was going to see him. I'm Asami Sato."

"Yes, I know. You're right on time. My husband cannot be your doctor, unfortunately, since you have a close relationship with Bolin. But there's nothing stopping you from having Dr. Qin being your psychologist," she laughed at her own joke, "It's good to meet you. Why don't we step into my office?"

"Right, heh," she followed Dr. Qin through one of the three doors that connected to the lobby. There were overstuffed chairs, a desk, a book shelf, a piece of modern art, and a box of toys in the corner. Asami raised her eyebrows.

"What's with the toys?"

"I am a child psychologist as well. I also do family sessions. Keeping children occupied with toys helps spur their creativcity,a nd gets them to say things they might not ordinarily say. You'd be surprised how many adults play with them, too. They often go through them and pick out toys that are familiar to them through their childhood. I also have a four year old."

"I see," Asami smiled, "Boy or a girl?"

"Little girl. We've got a twelve year old boy, too."

"A twelve year old? You're not that old, Doc."

"It's a long story," Dr. Qin waved her hand, Please, take a seat, relax. Pick out a toy, maybe, whatever makes you comfortable. What did you hear from Bolin?"

"Just that Dr. Qin was a lot of help sorting out his thoughts. He recommended me, and I had some free time today, so I thought I'd give it a chance," Asami squatted next to the toy box, rummaging through them.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"Not sure. I've never done this before. I was hoping you'd tell me, honestly."

"Well, what's been on your mind a lot, Asami? Family? Work? Friends? Romance?"

Asami let out a short laugh, "Romance. Right."

"Seems that's what's on your mind, then."

"Not really. Well, not _my_ romance, anyway. I'm worried about Bolin. He's got this _crazy_ ex-girlfriend. Like,s he's already really creepy, but he breaks up with her, right, and she chases after him _across the Southern Ocean._ Without a boat. It's got Bolin totally wired and worried that she's going to appear in Republic City and eviscerate him. I want to help, but other than giving him security guards I don't know how to help him. Bolin was there for me when I needed a shoulder to cry on, now he's in danger, and I can't help him, until it's already too late and he's been attacked."

"Of course you can help him. You can be his friend, and listen to what he has to say, the way he was for you. That's what friends do."

"No way!" Asami dumped the toybox over and picked out an action figure, "You have a Bending Action Aang! I had one of these when I was a kid! I've got the whole set, but htye're all in boxes! I wanted to preserve them, you know, keep them as they were, in perfect condition to be admired, so I never played with any of them. This is so cool!"

Asami twisted the crank on the back of the action figure, and set it on the table. The Aang figure turned on one foot, its foot kicking in the air and its arms flailing outward.

"Hehe, so cool!" Asami bit her tongue, "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"It's a popular one," Dr. Qin said, "There's no shame in indulging our inner child."

"Yeah, I'm barely an adult, myself. Nobody thinks I can do it, run Future Industries, but I'm showing them. With Varrick's help, anyway. I've got this idea, see, for the planes, where we seat, like, thirty people on them, and then they can fly from here to Ba Sing Se in just a few hours. Even faster than Airship, you know?"

"Sounds like a plan. You're under a lot of stress at Future Industries, I would think."

"Yeah, like you would not _believe._ Then I've got to be part of Team Avatar. I don't know _what_ they would do without me."

"Saving the world and bringing tomorrow to us today, that about right?"

Asami blinked, "Can I use that? That's a _really_ good motto."

"Go right ahead," Dr. Qin laughed, "There's no shame in being stressed, Asami. It happens to the best of us, and it's perfectly normal. What matters is dealing with it."

"I'm always so busy," Asami agreed, "I don't know how I do it, and find time for myself. It all just clicks together. I guess I'm really good at scheduling my time, huh?"

"Something's still gnawing at you, though, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah. None of my dad's backers believe in me. They all pulled out, wen tot Cabbage Corp. I'm _totally_ reliant on Varrick for investment right now, other than my own fortune. Between the two of us it's enough, but…It weighs on me. I've _proved_ myself already. Why do I have to do it _again?_ I've invented, I've kept most of our manufacturing going. Yeah my _friends_ believe in me, but none of my business partners do! It's infuriating! But you know what, I'll do it _without_ them, and they'll be left behind, you hear me?"

"I hear you, Asami. You've got what it takes, and they're the ones losing out."

"Right! And Varrick, I don't know where he got his wealth, but I don't see how he got where he is. I mean, he's a total nutjob! He never gets anything done! He's good at _spending_ money but I don't see how he got his start. I just can't wrap my head around it!"

"So you're frustrated that nobody believes in you, despite that you've already succeeded, but you don't believe in Varrick, who's proved himself time and time again?"

Asami blinked, and bit her lip, suddenly ashamed, "That…That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I…Well, I guess you're right. I just don't see myself in Varrick."

"Varrick is in a different line of business from you, Asami. It's a different kind of personality. Are you sure you could do what Varrick does? Could he do what you do?

"No, I guess not. I suppose his eccentricities might be strength for him. I'm always in my lab, tinkering with something new when I'm not out saving the world or trying to sell my stuff. I just haven't seen him work."

"How did you come into a partnership with him? What brought you two into business?"

"Well, I went to the South Pole to meet with him, and I brought Bolin. Varrick just sort of stared intensely at me, and decided to make a deal. Then he and Bolin started hanging out, it was all so very sudden. I felt like I hadn't actually done anything, but Varrick seems to believe intensely in my and Bolin's inherent honesty."

"Have you been honest with Varrick?"

"Yes, of course! I've always been completely honest with him, I just felt like I haven't done anything to earn his trust, you know? He takes so much on faith, and I can't do that."

"Just another one of your differences?"

"Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I mean, I like Varrick, he's got an eye for innovation, I just don't understand his work ethic. And that assistant of his! How does she do it! He drags her around by the nose and not a peep of complaint! I could _never_ treat my personnel like that."

"You don't approve?"

"Not at all. She works hard to accommodate his every whim without a word. I want to say something, but…It wouldn't be appropriate. But if Zhu Li ever decides to quit her job, she's got one with me."

"You've made quite a few judgments about Varrick. Why do you think that is?"

"Well, my dad taught me to take a measure of people through their actions and how they treat others. So by those measurements, Varrick doesn't rate very high."

"So you have a value system that Varrick doesn't measure up to."

"Exactly."

"Has it gotten in the way of your relationship with him?"

"No, not yet. But I'm afraid it will. Regardless of how he got where he is, Varrick is a very successful man, and I need him to keep Future Industries afloat. I don't want to snap at him one day and put that all in jeopardy."

"Would you like some advice?"

"Please."

"You said that Varrick likes honesty. You also said that you don't understand him. Use that to your advantage. Ask Varrick about how he got where he is, and try to understand his morals, and his way of seeing the world. That will get you some perspective of how he became successful, and how he operates today. Don't be afraid to look to others for guidance, Asami. We all have mentors and heroes, and it seems to me that you're looking for one, and Varrick's the closest you've gotten. I'm not saying you have to like Varrick or agree with him, but if you need a working relationship with him, open up to him. You'd be surprised what people are willing to share. Unfortunately for us, that's all the sharing we can do for today, your time is up."

"Wait, really? So soon? Can I pay for more time?"

"No, I have to compile notes and then I have an appointment. We can schedule a double for next week, though, maybe?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you next week, then, Dr. Qin. Thank you so much."

"Not a problem. Have a good day, Miss Sato!"


	4. Couple's Therapy

"Doc Qin! Heyyyy, howya doin!" Bolin spread out his arms, "Man, do I feel, hmmmm, good to-_day!_"

"I'm glad to see that, Bolin. What's got you in a good mood."

"Everything, man! I'm loving my job at Future Industries so far. Asami went up to Varrick, and they got to talking, and now everything's great! Even better than before! I mean, I thought things were going well before, now everything's fantastic! I'm holding tryouts for the Fire ferrets this weel. Wanna go see?"

"I can't accept gifts from patients, Bolin."

"Awww, come on. I'll throw in tickets to the maaaaatch!"

"That's not helping, Bolin."

"Aw, come on! Don't you have kids? Think of them, bringing them to the big game, two teams going at it, BAM, bam! Ding ding ding! It's whole family entertainment!"

"I'll think about it, but I can't accept gifts. It's against my code of ethics. You're my patient."

"That…That doesn't make _any_ sense. I mean, I get not treating my friend or my brother, but not accepting _free tickets?_"

Dr. Qin leaned back in his seat, "Say someone committed a crime. They were my patient."

"Uh huh."

"He gets arrested. He's thrown in jail, and I'm subpoenaed to testify about his mental capacity, and his sense of ethics."

"You can do that? What about privacy and stuff?"

"If the court has a warrant or a subpoena, from the court, not just a lawyer, depending on the nature of the subpoena, I might have to testify. If it happens, it's usually about their mental state, whether or not they're sane. Now, say that patient is sane. But if I tell the court that they're crazy, then they might be declared unfit for trial."

"Right."

"Now imagine that patient is giving me tickets to the Pro Bending matches."

"Riiiight, I getcha now, okay-Hey!"

Dr. Qin let out a good-natured laugh, and leaned back into his chair. Bolin scowled, smiled, and shook his finger at Dr. Qin. The psychologist raised his hands defensively, smiling.

"So what's on your mind, Bolin?"

There was a thumping on the lobby door. Bolin jumped in his seat, which was barely visible with all the fluff of the chair.

"Sorry about that. Let me go see who that was, sometimes patients drop in for emergencies. If I have to deal with this, we'll make up the time today or next week, okay? Usually it's nothing."

"Right, nothing. I'll be right here."

Dr. Qin stood, and went to answer the door. A young woman with straight, black hair, accented eyes, a smooth chin, and an expressionless face stood before him. She was wearing Northern Water Tribe robes.

"Hello, young lady, can I help you?" Dr. Qin asked.

"Is Bolin here?" she asked.

"I'm afraid I don't know who that is. Would you like to schedule an appointment?"

"I know Bolin is here," she said, pushing Dr. Qin out of the way and stepping inside, "I demand that you tell me where he is."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about. If you aren't here to schedule an appointment, I must ask you to leave."

"Bolin! Come out here and answer for what you've done to your fiancée!"

"Young lady, whatever business you might have with this Bolin, you need to-"

Bolin stood exited Dr. Qin's office, and Eska's neutral face turned to a passive fury as her eyes widened. Dr. Qin tensed, and took a step towards the telephone. Eska turned to look at Dr. Qin, who froze in place.

"I do not appreciate liars," she said to him. Dr. Qin shook his head.

"Even if I wanted to tell you he was here, I couldn't. It's against my code of ethics to do so. Especially if I think such a person intends my patient harm. I think it's better for everyone if you were to leave, young woman, before I have to call the police."

"You won't call the police," she stated, and Eska's arm shot out, with water darting towards the phone. A clay disc shot out from its palce on the wall, interrupting the water. The disc was then in Bolin's hands.

"Eska, no. You can't do this. You'll get in trouble."

"Don't talk to _me_ about _trouble,_ Bolin. You've got a lot to explain. We were meant to be _married!_"

"No, Eska, _you_ were forcing me into something _I_ didn't want to do," Bolin took in a deep breath. Eska's eyebrows furrowed, and her lips clenched together.

"Bolin. _My sweet._ I still have enough _affection_ for you that I am willing to _forgive_ you, if you promise _never_ to leave my side, _again._ Do you _understand_ me?"

"I understand."

"_Good._ Then let's _go,_ Bolin," Eska turned to leave. Neither Bolin nor Dr. Qin budged.

"No," Bolin said.

"_What._"

"I'm not going with you, Eska. It's over. Please, move on. I didn't mean to break your heart and make you so upset, but I _can't_ be with you. It's not healthy for me. And it's not healthy for you, either. Please, Eska-"

"_No._ No, Bolin, _you_ do not get to _refuse_ me. _You_ instigated this, you don't get to go back on your word now. And _I_ have decided that you are _mine._"

"I'm not anybody's! I'm not a _thing!_ And-Why am I still holding this? Here you go, Doc," Bolin handed Dr. Qin the clay disc. Dr. Qin moved to put it back, placing him much closer to the phone. Bolin continued, "I just wanted to have some fun, maybe have someone to be affectionate with, but my time with you was _not_ fun and it was _not_ affectionate. At least not to me! I don't want to be tortured in my relationships, and certainly not for the rest of my life."

Bolin produced a choker necklace from his pocket, and he extended it to Eska, "I'm sorry."

Eska's eye twitched and her lip quivered, tears starting to dribble down her cheek. The tears then started to float. Boli's hand shook, and he took a step back.

"Eska," Dr. Qin took a step forward, one hand on his phone, "Before you commit any felonies, why don't we try to sort this all out."

"Doc!" Bolin called, and Eska whipped her head to regard Dr. Qin.

"You obviously care a great deal about Bolin's acceptance of you. His attention is something that you covet. Since Bolin ran away, what have your thoughts been? Have you had a restful night? An unstressed moment?"

Eska stared at him, unmoving. He continued.

"Eska, if that _is_ how you've been, then what you're going through is not normal. You may need help, but hurting me or Bolin or trashing my office will not do anything to assuage your strain. And stringing Bolin around by the nose won't help, either. You'll still be stressed, you'll simply have a whipping boy. But torment doesn't alleviate your anger, it never does. It just makes you even meaner. Are you a mean person, Eska? Is that the standard you hold yourself to?"

She slowly shook her head.

"Then let me help. Let Bolin go, and let's try to work this out."

"No," she pointed at Bolin, "He stays."

"All right," Dr. Qin let go of the phone, "But no violence. We sit down. We talk, that's it. We tell each other how we feel, no threats, no icicles, and no cops. Can you do that?"

"Do it for me, Eska? For the, uh, um, times? That? We've? Had?" Bolin offered, "I don't want you to be angry. Please stop being angry…"

Eska's nose scrunched into a snarl, and she regarded the calm and collected Dr. Qin and the cowering Bolin. She turned to one of the fluffy seats, and sat down slowly and gracefully.

"So, Eska. Let's start from the beginning of your relationship with Bolin. Indulge me, and describe it. I want to know things from your perspective."

Eska stared at Bolin, who shirked away from her in his seat. She began to talk, "When I first saw my _sweet little mooselion,_ he awkwardly attempted to associate himself with my geographic origin. I thought his antics amusing, and so I accepted his obvious attempts to proposition me with bonding."

"So you think he was funny."

"I did not say that," she stated, "I said he was amusing."

"Right, I understand."

"Yeah, that's me. Bolin…The amusing," Bolin squeaked.

"So what did you do that first day with Bolin?" Dr. Qin asked.

"He won me prizes at the fair," Eska told him.

"What did _you_ do, then?"

She blinked, "He…Won me prizes."

"Did he complain?"

"No. He was satisfactorily obedient and diligent. I was pleased with my bounty of fairground gifts, though their content and quality was lacking, such as all things from the Southern Water Tribe."

"You don't like the Southern Water Tribe."

"They are uncultured barbarians. They are concerned with things and material gain. There is no substance to their existence. It is empty, if sweet. Like candy. Too much of it, and you become fat and unhealthy."

"What should they concern themselves with, then?"

The door to the lobby opened slightly, and Dr. Qin called to them, "Busy, I'm sorry. Emergency session, we'll reschedule."

"Oh, sorry, Doctor Qin, I'll go," the person said, closing the door. Dr. Qin turned to Eska.

"Sorry about that. Please, Eska, continue."

"They must concern themselves with the spirits, and their relationship to the world. They need to be more focused on people and each other, than about the size of their homes or their…Rrrr…Boats. Or machines and devices."

"So people need to think about each other more, in the Southern Water Tribe?"

"Indubitably so."

"Would you say Bolin, while you were with him, thought about you, and attended to what you wanted?"

"Yes. His attentions were adequate. Hence why his _betrayal_ hurt me so," she grounded her teeth at Bolin. He shivered with each repetition. Dr. Qin held up a hand.

"Please, Eska, we are trying to establish better communication here. Threats do not function well for this. Whatever your frustrations with Bolin, I must ask that you not intimidate him, especially when it is his turn to share. So you appreciated having Bolin listen to you?"

"It was refreshing. My brother and I do everything together, but we have nobody doing things for us. For us to have someone attending to us, without question and without demanding something in return, it was most agreeable to have him around."

"Your brother, all right. Are you two close?"

"Normally inseparable."

"Why is he not here now?"

"He cared little for Bolin. This is something I had to do alone."

"Without his help."

"Correct."

"Even though he knows this is something that is very emotional for you? You seem to be a very composed young woman, Eska. Would that be fair to say?" Dr. Qin asked.

"Yes," she stated, "it would be."

"Why was he unwilling to support you, do you think?"

"Desna believed this was a flight of fancy. That ultimately Bolin's fate was inconsequential. I did not want to so frivolously abandon my fragile turtledove to this cruel, uncultured world."

"Do you have a favorite toy, Eska? Or a diary, or something like that? A blanket?"

"Yes."

"What if you'd lost it. Would Desna help you find it?"

"No. It would have been my responsibility to keep track of it. If I were to lose it, then it is my responsibility."

"What about Desna? What if he lost his special something? Would you help him find it?"

She paused, thinking about this, before saying, "No, and for the same reason."

"Are you _sure?_"

"I-Maybe without his knowledge, I would make an endeavor to assist him in his search. I suspect he would be similarly subtle."

"So if you do everything together, why not do the things that matter, protecting the people and things that you love, why not do that together? And how does treating Bolin like a slave mean you think of him? Eska, relationships work two ways. From one, to the other, and back. It's a mutual agreement."

"If you treat me like a thing, how is that any different than having a really big boat?" Bolin blurted, with a burst of anger on his face. He realized what he'd done, and hid behind a pillow. When he was not struck, beyond Eska's glare, he realized he was not in danger, "When you forced me to laugh at something I didn't thinkw as funny, or had me act like your…Your _servant,_ I didn't really see what it was I was getting out of our relationship, y-you know? I felt like I was in danger all the time. And I know danger! I fought the Equalists! I've been in the Triads, Eska. Turtledove I may be, but I am _not_ a fledgling, and I am not a Carrier Hawk! Well, maybe in that I've got _talons_ like a Carrier Hawk, but, well, you know what I mean!"

Eska stared at Bolin, making him increasingly uneasy. Dr. Qin broke the awkwardness, "Eska, is Bolin your first boyfriend?"

"No. I had a handful when I was younger. None of them lasted as long as he."

"...Right. And Bolin? Is Eska your first girlfriend?"

"Well, I mena, if she's the first _girl_ I've ever had as a _friend,_ no, but, if you're talking about, you know, a _romantic partner,_ then, well, um, yes…" Bolin admitted.

"So neither of you are experienced with successful relationships. Eska, can you tell me what you wanted out of your relationship with Bolin? What did you expect to get from Bolin? Other than some manual labor."

"I…Do not know."

"Did you expect to get something from him?"

"Yes."

"But you don't know what it was."

"…Correct."

"Bolin, what did _you_ want out of your relationship with Eska?"

"I wanted affection! And warmth! Laughter! And good times! You know! Hang out! Share some meals! I didn't mind spending time with your brother, but we had _almost no alone time_ with each other, and when we did, it wasn't any different than when he was there! I might as well have been dating him!"

"Are you saying I am not humorous or warm? That I am boring?" Eska challenged.

"Yes! That is EXACTLY what I am saying!" Bolin put his fingers to his temples, sighing. Eska's head hung over her chest. Bolin continued, "You are selfish, insensitive, mean-spirited-"

Dr. Qin held up a hand, "Bolin?"

"-angry, bitter-"

"Bolin!"

"YES, Doctor Qin?"

"Hold on the gut-spilling," he leaned over, "Eska? Talk to me. How does that make you feel? Don't be afraid to hold it back, come on."

She lifted her head, showing the tears and running makeup that blotched and smeared all over her face, "Worthless…" she managed to moan, "Something to be _ignored_ and _scolded._"

"Like a child?" Dr. Qin offered. Eska, nodded, smearing her makeup and tears and snot on her robe sleeve.

"Always remain quiet! Be seen and not heard, and only seen when told to be!"

"I-I never wanted-" Bolin stammered.

"Never have my own space, never have my own _opinions,_ never have my own time! Everything has to be _just so!_ And when do I get free time? _Once!_ _A! Year!_ When we go to the South pole, filled with _simpletons!_"

"…And then there comes the Earth Bender, with his awkward advances," Bolin said. Eska looked up at him, and sniffed.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, Eska, I didn't know it was like that. But…As bad as things have been for you, I can't take what you give me. It's too much. I'm sorry.

"Yeah…Okay…" Eska sobbed. She stood and shuffled out the door before Bolin or Dr. Qin could say anything else. They stared at the door.

"I'm calling a colleague. And the police," Dr. Qin declared.

"Yeah that might be a good idea."


	5. Mako's First Session

Dr. Minghua had five people in his office by the time Mako entered his office. It was a long, grueling process, but everyone had to do it once a year on the Republic City Police Force, and they all seemed to decide to knock it out on the first day, and then head on to the bar or something. It wore on Dr. Minghua, who heard the same stories over and over, but at least they got it done. Now if only they would schedule for more sessions, he'd be able to justify his budget to the appropriations committee.

"Mako, please, sit down."

"Doc, is this gonna take long?"

Mako got to 'Long' when Dr. Minghua sighed and said, "No, this won't take long. Now, please. Have you been feeling unusually aggressive?"

"Well, kind of. I mean, I've been under a lot of stress, with what's going on with the Water Tribes, it's no big deal! It hasn't affected my work!"

"Mmm hmm. Have you maintained a healthy relationship with your loved ones?"

"Things have been somewhat strained recently, but for the same reason, Korra's got a lot on her mind and I'm doing my best to be there for her but I've also got my job and Bolin has this crazy ex-girlfriend he's terrified of."

"Have you had any problems dealing with authority?"

"Not really, it's been-"

"Have you been thinking about yourself and your accomplishments in an inordinate fashion or capacity?"

"No, I-"

"What do you think of children?"

"Kids? They're okay, I guess. I've been bringing dumplings to some of the urchins whenever I can afford a little extra. Nobody ever did that for me, so I thought I'd reach out to my roots, take care of the people who don't have anyone to take care of them."

"Mmm hmm. Have you taken any particular interest in any one of these urchins?"

"No, none of them really stick out. They're all just hungry and need someone to talk to and care about them. If nobody else is gonna do it, it might as well be me. I hooked them up with a hobo friend of mine I know, though, someone that'll keep an eye on them."

"Have you conducted any beatings or unnecessary force on any perpetrators?"

"Uh, well, I was kind of worried when I tipped over this one Satomobile during a chace, but they were all fine. I filed a report about that, we chatted, remember?"

"I recall. No other similar incidents?"

"No, sir."

"I am not your superior, Mako, please do not call me 'sir,'" he scribbled more notes, "Have you been acting impulsively?"

"I've had to make some quick decisions lately, but no, I don't think so."

"Have you had any resentment towards any of your coworkers or colleagues?"

"No, I've got along well with everyone. I think some of the older fellas might be jealous that the word 'detective' is getting rolled around my name. I don't want them to be, though, I mean, we're all on the same team here."

"All right, thank you, Mako. That will be all."

Mako blinked, "That's it?"

"That's it."

"I thought there'd be more than that. Bolin's been seeing a shrink-"

"Mental healthcare professional," Dr. Minghua corrected tiredly.

"-And he says it's the best thing since dumplings. He's been all touchy-feely and weird, but he seems pretty happy. Well, except for two days ago, when his girlfriend showed up. His go on for like an hour, how come I only got twenty minutes?"

"Because this isn't a therapy session, this is a psychological evaluation. Which you passed, and the next person is waiting to take."

"So you're seriously just gonna brush me off now that your paperwork is filled out?"

"Because I have work to do, Officer Mako."

"I mean, I expected more than just a few obvious questions. You're not going to delve deeper into my psyche and derive answers to unasked questions or something? Cuz the guys were making me think that this was gonna be much more than a quick questionnaire."

"No, that's all there is, Officer Mako. Now if-"

"I mean, it was so simple! So outright, what if I lied, huh?"

"Did you?"

"No!"

"According to this report, you had a pretty heated argument with Detective Po over procedure. Someone was worried enough about it that they thought to report the incident to me. Would you like to talk about that?" Dr. Minghua crossed his arms. If Mako wanted a session, he would get a session of Mako liked it or not.

"No! Who told you about my argument with Po? There was nothing to it, we just had a disagreement about how to chase down a speeding target. He's not a Bender, he doesn't understand the tools at my disposal!"

"What were the specifics of the argument?"

"Aw, come on, Doc, I have work to do!"

"Please, indulge me."

Maked tsked and sighed, "I used my Firebending to take out a tire on a target. It took out a window, and Po came to my desk when I filed the report. He proceeded to give me a lecture about causing property damage, but I told him that if I ahdn't, they would have caused a lot more damage the longer the chase went on. By taking out the tire and stopping the chase, I saved lives and prevented additional damage. The whole thing was settled in court last week, the Police Department wasn't held liable for the damage, so in the end, I was right."

"But Po didn't think you'd always get so lucky."

"No, but what does he know?"

"A good deal to make Detective, I think."

"Oh, well, yeah, I mean, there's that. All right, let me try that again: Detective Po is a good _detective._ He knows how to work a crime scene, and I respect him for that, I really do. But he hasn't aged well. He couldn't do what I can do, and I appreciate that, once upon a time, he _could._ But technology is different, and Bending is different, neither of which he had when he was on the force at my age. I didn't think it was appropriate for him to be lecturing me about a call I made in the middle of a dangerous chase. He doesn't work Traffic or Hazard, and hasn't in twenty years. I want to learn what Po knows when I become detective, but on this, I don't think he has anything to teach me."

"So who on the Force do you look to for advice?"

"Well, there's the Chief. Best police officer I know. Sergeant Yan, he's really showed me the ropes. Lung and Ton. I go to them _all the time._ They've worked where I've work, and know what I face on the streets. I get advice from them all the time."

"All right."

"I mean, it was just an argument, that's no big deal. It happens all the time."

"People cross lines they don't mean to. Po crossed one with you. Have you been able to smooth things over with the Detective since then?"

"Well, no, not really. I mean, it was only last week that the court declared I wasn't liable. I haven't really spoken to him since the argument, either, so it's been kind of awkward. Do you think I should talk to him? I…Said some things I didn't really mean."

"I think that might be a good idea. There's a bit of scuttlebutt about you two that you should nip before it gets out of hand. It might do well to ease some tempers about you if you were to stick your neck out for Po's pride. Not his ego, just his pride. He's been on the force as long as Chief BeiFong. He deserves a bit of respect."

"And, he's got it. Evne if I haven't exactly shown that to him."

Dr. Minghua nodded, "Excellent, Mako. Unfortunately, that's it for time."

"Oh, uh, okay. I didn't mean to run you that long, Doc."

"It's not a problem at all, Mako, it's all part of the job. In fact, why don't we make this a regular thing? How about weekly sessions? You're under a lot of pressure, Mako, between your police duties, rumors of your promotion, and working with Team Avatar. You could use the time to let off some steam, so to speak."

"Are you sure, Doc? I mean, you've got to be a pretty busy man."

"If you'd like to do that, I will fit you in, Mako, don't worry about me. It's my job to keep the brave men and women of Republic City's finest at their best, and if that means I have to listen to what you had for breakfast, then I will listen to your breakfast stories. I signed up for this job, and I love doing it."

"All right, yeah, okay. Weekly sessions, then."

"I'll see you next week, Send in the next guy." Mako nodded, and Lin BeiFong entered.

"Let's get this over with, Doctor Minghua."

"Oh, but Chief. I just got on a roll. Let's go two for two.'


	6. Lin's First Session

Lin BeiFong entered.

"Let's get this over with, Doctor Minghua."

"Oh, but Chief. I just got on a roll. Let's go two for two."

"Please, Doctor, I'm in a hurry to-"

"Go out with the guys? We both know you're only here right now to get this over with and get me off your back, but you've managed to weasel out of this two years in a row. I have you now, Lin BeiFong, and I am not letting you go until I get what I want."

"You're just going to talk about my mother, aren't you?"

"Do you want to talk about your mother?"

"No, I don't want to talk about my mother!" 

"Then we won't talk about your mother."

"Good, let's not talk about my mother."

"Then let's talk about something other than your mother. What about your father?"

"Don't get smart with me, Doctor."

"Fine. What about the thing you didn't want to talk to me about last time? Are you ready to talk about that now?"

"What thing?"

"You mentioned former Sergeant Jochi?"

Her face became flushed, she scowled darkly, and stood, "This session is over."

"Chief, please, I can't give excuses to the Administrative Council again about you missing this, particularly after last year. Sit, and we'll talk about something you _do_ want to talk about."

She sat with a defiant grumble, "Let's talk about something _else._"

"Fine. Tell me about Amon. That must have been deeply troubling for you, to have your Bending taken away, even for a little while. How did you deal with that?"

"I didn't. I…Just sort of wallowed. I was there, to help and advise the Avatar and the others, but…I…Didn't face the fact that I was probably never going to Bend again. I got angrier by the day, and it started to show. But, then, the Avatar figured out how to undo the damage Amon had done to me, and the effect was lifted. I haven't thought of it much since then. I haven't needed to, and I haven't had time."

"Are you sure about that? That's not the feeling I've been getting."

"What do you mean?"

"You've been acting differently. Cautious in confrontational matters, but more aggressive in investigative matters. Ready to take more risks when looking for clues, but not so much when acting. It's been showing with the others in their performance evaluations, too, with how you've been instructing and ordering the officers."

"I hadn't noticed."

"That's understandable. So, have you been thinking about what Amon did to you?"

Lin considered, first the floor, then Dr. Minghua, then the wall, then the ceiling. She leaned back deep into the chair, "Yes. Constantly. All the time. I never really thought about it, but it plays in my mind all the time. I push it out and try to ignore it, but it doesn't work. I think; W_hat could I have done differently? How could I have saved the children? What do I do if it ever happens again?_ It made me feel vulnerable, _and I don't like that._ Not at all."

"I can imagine not. You're a strong woman, Lin. Nobody doubts that."

"What Amon did, that is unforgivable. Even if I'm healed, even if I…"

She shook her head.

"I…I told…I told the Council not to restore the Triad Benders…Here I am, talking about what happened to me, and I at least got it back."

"Those are not good people, Lin."

"I _know,_ but think about this, Doctor. They rely on their Bending to protect themselves. To make their living, just like I do. For different reasons and in different ways, but one of my best officers was one of them once. Could have been one of them as they are now. His brother almost was. Doctor, some of them are just kids, or just out of their teens. And we _didn't give them their bending back._ They have to live with what Amon did to them every day, and not just the trauma, but the effects. If I'm thinking about it all the time…"

"It was like losing a limb, wasn't it?"

"And then getting it back," she nodded, "I…Can't let that stand, Doctor. Maybe some of the older Triad members, but not the young ones. They need a second chance, just like I got."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to call their lawyers, and talk to the Avatar. What we allowed to stand? That's a dangerous precedent, Doctor. We are not Amon, and we need to act like it. Maybe my mother would disagree, but she didn't have to experience what happened to us."

"I understand. That's a very compassionate thing to do, Chief."

She paused, and shook her head, "No it's not. I want to do it for selfish reasons. I don't really care about the Triad members, just that I don't want to feel like a hypocrite, cursing Amon but letting his actions stand. I want to do this to make myself feel better, not to help them."

"It's one and the same, though."

"Some sacrifices have to be made for doing the right thing, I guess," she sighed, "Thanks for _changing my mind,_ by the way. As if the Police Force needs more controversy."

"Hey, I didn't say anything, I just asked if you thought about Amon."

"See, this is why I don't make my appointments. Nothing good ever comes of them."

"I like to think otherwise. So, you resigned as Chief of Police. That could not have been easy."

"It was…Impulsive, I'll admit. But I did the right thing. I got our men back. And I did my share of damage against the Equalists."

"Do you think you've set a bad precedent with that?"

"In hindsight, yes. But at the time, I thought I was doing the right thing, trying to rescue my men and take down Amon. But everything I did outside of the Police Force turned out to be a moot point. My men had their bending taken. The Airbenders had been captured. We didn't even catch Amon, he and Tarrlock committed suicide out in the bay. I can only hope that, as heroic as my actions seemed, that my failure speaks to my men more: Working outside of the system only cuts you off from resources and assistance. I don't think we should be held back by politics, but we still need the Police Department."

"I see. Have you discussed this with the others?"

"Is there something I should know?"

"Nothing you'll hear from me. What about the Avatar? When she first arrived you approached her with a good deal of hostility. Has that changed after working with her?"

"Absolutely. Korra is undisciplined and brash, but she's a good kid, with a strong sense of justice. If she were one of my Officers I would be proud to have her in the Department. Either way, I'm glad she's the Avatar. We could do a lot worse than her, and few better."

"Well, Lin, it sounds like you've got some things to do. That wasn't so bad, was it?"

Lin harrumphed, and sat up, "So how did I do?"

"I can't tell you that. But don't worry about it, all right? Only worry if you hear about it. But, Lin, you've been through a lot. I'd like to have at least monthly sessions. You should not be alone as you go through this. And even though a year has passed, and your physical scars have healed, and your trauma has been undone, you're still going through it. There's no shame in admitting that you're still hurt. A lot of people go crazy without even understanding the reasons for doing so, and I don't want to see that happen to you. No reporting or anything like that. Just come into my office once a month. I'd prefer once weekly. It's not like anyone else comes in for sessions, so whenever is good for you."

"I don't want people talking. There's nothing wrong with me."

"I know. You're hurt. Think of it like being extended physical therapy, but for your brain. It's perfectly all right. You're not weaker for it."

Lin considered Dr. Minghua for a moment, then nodded.

"Fine. Sometime within the next month. Can I go now?"

"You're free to go, Lin. I'm glad to finally have you on my chair."

"Well, so long as it's done. I'll see you later, Doctor."

"Send in the next guy, please."


	7. Bolin's Fourth Session

**[Catching up to the present in the show. I'm inevitably going to have to divert from Canon. Until then I'll try to stick to it as close as I can. You've got at least four chapters headed your way, guys. Also, I really really like reviews that go into detail about the sorts of things that you like to see.]**

* * *

"Bolin!" Dr. Qin shut his book, "Good to see you again."

"Heyyy, Doc, howya doin!" Bolin widened his arms for a hug, and went in for it, despite Dr. Qin taking a half step back. The embrace was a crushing one, and Dr. Qin looked to his wife and colleague, who hastily hid into her office, but not before shooting him a smug grin, which Dr. Qin replied to with a scowl. He barely managed to pat Bolin's bicep in acknowledgement.

"Good. My spine could be better," Dr. Qin wheezed.

Bolin released Dr. Qin, "Really? I'm so sorry to hear that, I can refer you to my chiropractor! She's a doll, she really helped me get my Chi all lined up. My bending's better than before! Bolin's back, baby!"

Dr. Qin let out a gasp, "I'm glad to hear that you're healthy. As for my spine, that's a," he arched his back, letting out a 'crack,' "recent development. This news sounds good for the Fire Ferrets next year, then, huh?"

"That? Yeah, I guess. It's not really at the top of my mind right now."

"Well, let's step into my office, and we'll talk about it," Dr. Qin led him in. Bolin produced a mirror and comb and checked up on his hair, putting it all into place. Dr. Qin scribbled down a note.

"Whatcha writin'?" Bolin asked.

"Just some thoughts for this session. You seem…Very energetic today, Bolin. I'm glad to see that, especially after last week."

"Last week? Oh, yeah. That. Yeah, no biggie, you know, just had to deal with some old baggage, am I right? All water under the bridge, as it were. As it _should_ be."

"Agreed. Not every day that I have to do couple's therapy between my patient and his _ex-_girlfriend. I wish I could have done more to help her."

"Ah, she'll be fine. Besides, you gotta help _me,_ doc! I'm your patient, and I'm torn up! I'm inconsolable! I'm a wre-he-heheck!"

"I thought…You were all good. Your Chi was all lined up. What's the matter?"

"Oh, man, Doc, it's this new job I've got, working with Varrick. I'm in the Movers!"

"The…What?" Dr. Qin blinked.

"Movers! The moving pictures! You know! Nuktuk, Hero of the South?" Bolin stood and struck a pose, "Nuktuk, Hero of the South!"

Dr. Qin scratched his nose, "I…Can't say that I have. I'm sorry. It sounds like you're eager to be part of this…Mover…Picture…Thing…What seems to be the problem?"

"Oh, man, Doc, I like being a star and all but it is _stressful!_ I mean, sometimes my _assistant_ gets busy or I gotta stand around while the cameras get reset and the director is always yelling at me or changing stuff around and I don't know what to _do!_"

"It, uh…Sounds…Tough?"

"Oh, Doc! You have _no idea!_ Sometimes, I gotta pee real bad in the middle of a scene, but we can't stop the film, so I gotta _hold it_ for what seems to be _ever._"

"Oh, you're in a _play._"

"Well, kind of. It's like a play, only we get recorded on the Mover, and then it gets shown to the audience all over the city, right? So it's not an in-life performance, see? It's all recordings, like soundaphone records, only for pictures that move."

Dr. Qin stared at Bolin blankly.

"Varrick had it invented."

"Right!" Dr. Qin nodded, "Gotcha, it's a Varrick Global Industries thingy with plays. So you're in this Mover Play. What's got you so stressed, Bolin

"Hey, I like that term, I'll tell it to Varrick! Anyway. Stress. On-set, yeah. So, there's this lady, right, on-set, her name's Ginger. You might have seen her posters for Varrick's products." Bolin struck a pose imitating Ginger. Dr. Qin nodded, and Bolin continued, "So she's supposed to be, like, my girlfriend, but then she's _not_ my girlfriend, and she's mean to me, and then we're on set and then she is my girlfriend and she's nice to me. I'm totally confused, Doc."

"So she's…Wait…I'm gonna have to think about this one, Bolin."

"I know, right? Why do all of my romances end up like this, I'm hopeless!"

Dr. Qin stroked the small but pointy beard on the end of his chin, "When did you say she's nice to you and is supposed to be your girlfriend?"

"When we're recording, she's all nice and kissy with me, hanging on my chest and clinging."

"But when you're not, uh, recording, she's not nice."

"Right."

"I don't get it."

"Neither do I!"

"All right, Bolin, let's dissect this fishfrog and try to figure out what _you_ think and what _you_ want. This Ginger, how well do you know her?"

"Well, we've been working together for about a week now. We've got _great_ chemistry, Doc, it's awesome! But then we stop recording and she gets all mad at me when I try to follow up with what we were just doing, and leaves me just plain confused. It's really getting to me."

"Well, it's only been a week, Bolin, since you met her, and a week since our session with Eska. Are you sure you're ready for a relationship so soon, or do you think you're prepared?"

"Of course I'm ready! I was born ready! I'm totally ready!"

"You're sure? Last week was pretty intense, and we haven't taken the time to talk about it. If this Ginger makes you happy, go for it, but if she's only nice to you sometimes, then maybe you're jumping from one abusive relationship into another. You jumped into one with Eska without learning who she really was first. But if having one is important to you, and you really think Ginger's right for you, then you're the sort of guy who could make it function."

Bolin hesitated, and he chewed on his lip for a moment, "I…Guess…I mean…Maybe I was just, you know, caught up in the heat of things."

"Don't get me wrong, Bolin, it's not that I'm telling you to drop anything you might have with Ginger, but Bolin: Are you thinking this through? Or are you thinking with your…You know."

"My what?"

"You know. Your, um, 'heart.' You're a romantic, Bolin, through and through. You wear it on your shoulder, from what I've been able to tell. You handled yourself very well last week, and then this."

"I am, aren't I?" Bolin grinned, "I guess I'm not all that ready to dive in. It just seemed like a sure thing, something…I dunno…"

"Secure?"

"Yeah!"

"You have secured relationships, Bolin. But each one comes with their own challenges and baggage. So while some people are there to pick up yours, you've got to carry theirs once in a while, too. Romantic relationships in particular are like that. So if that's what you're looking for, lean on the friends you have instead of trying to overinvest in someone new."

"Yeah, like Mako, or Shady Shin!" Bolin's eyes lit up, "They're always there for me. But not Asami, right now, she's going through a lot. Well, so is Mako, actually, with the investigation, that leaves-Well, you, I guess."

"Well, that's what I'm here for."

"Good ole Doctor Qin! There for me when...My brother…" Bolin's grin disappeared and turned into a wince, "Doc, I think I _really_ messed up."

"What'd you do, Bolin?"

"Mako…Came in, asking for my help, and…Wow, I totally snubbed him. I used this…Time…When he didn't help me when I asked him. I don't even know _what_ it was right now, I was just like, 'Pff no.' I mean, I wanted to _hang out_ with him, but…"

"You did something brothers do, Bolin. They pick and sting at each other just to pick and sting at each other. Did you hear him out, at least?"

Bolin breathed through his teeth, "Well…No…"

"Yeowch. Well, perks of being a brother is things bounce back quickly. Especially when you apologize in earnest. How have you gotten over fights with your brother before?"

"Usually through strange happenstance coincidences that lead us both to admitting our faults and the silliness of getting into those fights in the first place. We smile, admit we're grateful for each other, and make it all up, then beat each other senseless in practice to work out any extra steam."

"Right, so, skip the whole happenstance and coincidence and get to the apology."

"I dunno, Doc, do you think that'd work?"

"I dunno, Bolin, do you? He's your brother. When I have fights with my wife, admitting I want to get over whatever problem I've had with her is an important first step. It might also help if you offer to help Mako out with whatever it is he's trying to deal with. Take a little extra to let him know you're thinking about him," Dr. Qin bit his lip, thinking, "Do you have any ideas for something I could do with my wife and kids? You're pretty well connected in the entertainment industry, I'd say."

"Oh, yeah, they've got showings of Nuktuk all over the city! They're great! I'd offer you balcony tickets, but, uh…"

"No, that's fine, thank you, Bolin. I'll do that. Sorry. It's poor etiquette to suddenly make it about me like that, that was rude. Anyway, we are _sadly_ out of time, but I'd like to talk about this some more, Bolin. Do you have time in two days for an appointment, and we'll try and sort all this out?"

"Two days, hmmm, can we make it the day after, I've got a shoot."

"A wh-Nevermind. Yeah, we can do the day after. What are you going to do in the meantime?"

"I think I'll talk to Mako, and apologize. Work things out. And tell Ginger that I like her and all, but I just need some space for Bolin."

"But be _careful,_ Bolin. Think about what you're going to say before you say it."

"Right. Gotcha. See you in three days, Doc."

Dr. Qin saw Bolin out, and walked to his wife's office, "Yang. You want to go out with the kids tonight? There's supposed to be this picture play thing called 'Nuktuk, Hero of the South.'"


	8. Mako's Second Session

Dr. Minghua took in a deep, satisfied sigh. His office was now organized. After months of putting it off, of clutter and chaos, it was clean. His notes were alphabetized. His books were on their shelves. His desk looked unused, save for the handful of coffee and burn stains. He has way too much to do, but he was very glad he'd taken the time to do this much.

Mako walked into Dr. Mingua's office and slammed the door behind him. With a righteous growl, Mako punched the wall, leaving a fist-sized hole in it.

"You got a minute, Doc?" Mako asked. Dr. Minghua's cup of pens had fallen over with Mako's entrance, ruining the otherwise perfectly aligned desk. Dr. Minghua fixed the pen cup and repeated his sigh, with different, more expletive-filled (but unsaid) emotions.

"Oh, hello, there, Mako. I'm glad to see you again. Why don't you come in? Of course you can have a seat. Oh, dear, you seem to be very upset today, Mako. Why don't you tell me what's wrong. Would you like some water?"

"Thanks, Doc, I'd love some right about now. I just can't-"

"No, Mako, see, I just got myself caught up to where we should be in this conversation, but you're still behind a few steps."

"What?"

"You didn't even say 'Hello.'"

"Oh, I'm sorry. Hello, Dr. Minghua. I could-"

"And?" Dr. Minghua prompted, and Mako sighed, annoyed.

"Hello, Dr. Minghua. Thank you for seeing me. May I have a seat? Now, you would not _believe-_"

"Ahem."

"What?"

Dr. Minghua looked to the hole in his wall, and then to Mako, who stared at him, bewildered as to what the psychologist could possibly be interrupting him for this time. Dr. Minghua looked to the hole again, and again, Mako didn't get the hint. Dr. Minghua stared at it for a good twenty seconds before Mako slowly followed the doctor's gaze, and winced.

"Oh…Doc, I'm sorry, I…Wasn't even thinking, I was just…Mad, I'll, uh…I'll get it fixed, somehow, I promise. That was totally uncalled for, please, accept my apologies…"

"Have a seat, and let me see your hand. A punch that hard must have damaged something."

"I thought you were a shrink?" Mako asked, sitting in the uncomfortable chair Dr. Minghua had sitting in front of his desk. Dr. Minghua produced a medical kit from his desk and started observing Mako's knuckles. He tsk'd, produced a pair of scissors from the pack, and brought them to the leather to start cutting. Mako withdrew his hand.

"Hey, these are my gloves! You can't just cut them like that!"

"Mako, if I have them removed I could cause more damage. Now give me your hand. Your gloves aren't gonna do you much good if I don't look at this right now, you'll just have to deal with it."

"Come on, Doc, it doesn't even hur-" Mako protested. Dr. Minghua simply laid his finger on the knuckle and Mako let out a yell that was indubitably heard down the hall, around the corner, down that hall, around that corner, and then down that hall, into the lobby, and through the front door.

"Don't be such a baby," Dr. Minghua grumbled, and he started cutting off the glove. He started studying and poking at the knuckles.

"You dislocated your knuckles. You're probably in shock, which is why you didn't feel the pain. These are going to need to be wrapped for a month, or at least see a water bending healer. We need to put them back into place," Dr. Minghua said, and he looked at Mako in the eyes, "This is gonna hurt."

"Wha-" Mako started, and then he let out a second scream. The third was still loud, but not as much as the first two. The fourth was a cry, and the fifth was a loud whimper. Mako was panting loudly and breathing heavily as Dr. Minghua started to wrap it heavily in bandages and tape. He let out an audible shudder as he finished. Chief Bei Fong opened the door.

"What the _hell _is going on in here?" she demanded. Mako started, but Dr. Minghua cut him off.

"Mako's fist had a fight with my wall. It was a draw. I don't believe they will be having a rematch, right Officer?" Dr. Minghua looked at Mako, who nodded, "Sorry about the disturbance. I was just taking care of Mako's hand. My apologies, Chief."

"Mako, you and your friends are rough on department property. Please avoid tearing up my headquarters before the end of the year. Sort out yourself out, or I'll put you on leave, understand?"

"Yes, Chief Bei Fong," he said, and she left. A minute later, there was a message over the PA,

"Please do not be alarmed. We have had an injury. Everything is under control," she announced, "Please return to your duties. Everything is fine."

Dr. Minghua poked and prodded the fist some more, causing some grunts to emit from Mako.

"Got to the hospital, get an X-Ray, and then see a healer. You should be fine. Don't firebend with this hand, or punch anything with it until then. Now, it seems to me that Chief Bei Fong is going to want my go-ahead if you're going to stay on the Department. The way I see it, if you get put on leave, you're just going to keep at whatever investigation you're on but without a badge. The only way that you'd not do that is if I put you on psychiatric leave, which means you would not be left alone. You would be staying with either me, or a colleague, conducting a full psychological evaluation until you are cleared, or other action is recommended."

"What about last week, wasn't that a full psychological evaluation?"

"That was _paperwork _and _one session,_ Mako. A full psychological evaluation is intrusive, but sometimes necessary if you're believed to be a threat to yourself and others. What Lin said, that was not an empty threat, not if she's saying it to me," he leaned forward, "It means that she's concerned about you, Mako. And if she's concerned about you, then I'm concerned about you."

"I'm not _crazy,_ Doc! I'm _angry!_"

"Are you sure? You _dislocated_ four of your fingers. You might have fractured one or more of them, if not some bone splits at least. You've been irritable-more than usual anyway-snapping at everyone and you're obsessed with a case that _you're not even on._ Cops go through a lot, Mako, and you're in a high stress position of both your given duties and your actions as part of Team Avatar. If I believe that you would hurt yourself-like you already have-or someone else-as would not be a stretch for you-then it is in my duties and my responsibilities to do everything in my power to protect you and the people that are around you. And if that means I lock you in my house for a week while we have intensive psychiatric sessions, then that's what I'm going to do. You have your ways of dealing with threats to the people you care about, and I have mine. Understand me?"

Mako straightened up in his seat, and nodded.

"Now, I understand you ran an off-the-books sting operation with Asami, using Triad members. Before you ask, you weren't as subtle about it as you thought you were. When the entire Triple Threat Triad goes to one place, the cops are going to notice."

"So you know. Then you _also_ know that if I'd had the _police _helping me, it wouldn't have turned out that way! If someone would just _trust me _for once!"

"Trust you? Mako, how is anyone supposed to _trust you_ if you're going to go off the books like that? Turn to known criminals, your own acquaintances? You won't even follow orders. Mako, you used to be captain of a professional Bending team. If one of your team members started doing whatever he or she wanted, regardless of whether or not it was within or without the rules of the game, how can you trust them to protect you? Just as much, how can _you_ protect _them?_ That's what's on everyone's mind, Mako. If you won't follow instructions, how can I help you? How can you be trusted to respect warrants, if you'd just bust down their door and take evidence whether or not you'd _got_ it?" Dr. Minghua shook his head, "It's bad ethics to browbeat my patients. Maybe I should refer you to a colleague. You've got me scared, Mako, for you and for whoever you drag into your schemes."

Mako stared at the floor, and Dr. Minghua sighed, putting his face in his hands and then looked at Mako in the eye, "I'm sorry, Mako. This isn't about me. I'm going to put you on three days' suspension, with pay, not because of anything you did, but because it would be inappropriate for me to treat you. In the meantime, Mako, _promise_ me you won't do anything stupid, or you will lose your badge."

Mako took his turn to put his face in his hands, and then he looked at Dr. Minghua.

"If you won't talk to me as my psychologist, would you talk to me as a colleague?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I want you to look at what I've discovered so far. You do your head stuff with criminals, too, right? That's why you got funding in the first place. You get into their head, figure them out, and learn what they're going to do before they even do it."

"I don't know, Mako, this is-"

"Doctor Minghua, _promise me_ that you'll look into what I've found. If you do that, then…Then I'll cooperate, in full."

Dr. Minghua leaned back, and nodded, "Fine. Do you have a file or a notebook?"

"Yeah, I've got a notebook and a folder. I've got it with me," Mako produced it from his sleeve, "You'd be surprised what I can fit in these."

"I went to university," Dr. Minghua took the file, and started reading it over. The war in the Southern Water Tribe, the attacks on Varrick Shipping, Unalaq, the Triad bombing the Cultural center, the raids on Future Industries, and Varrick's takeover of the-"

"Varrick!" Dr. Minghua snarled, picking up that page.

"What about him?"

"I knew that slimeball was up to something the moment I met him!" Dr. Minghua started digging through a file cabinet, pulling an overstuffed file with 'Varrick' scribbled on the tab.

"You knew Varrick?"

"He was a student of mine," he said, "One of three of my best. The other two turned out fantastic, but Varrick, oh hohoho, Varrick, he's a slippery one. I knew he was up to something, and I've got him now. I've got your every moved recorded, and soon, I'll be able to prove everything!"

"You _knew_ he was rotten?"

"Ever since he bought out Bei Fong Caravans from the Chief, I knew he was up to something. See, the Chief, she didn't want the company to be handed over to people she didn't trust, people that weren't personally invested in the company. Then, the company starts having a bunch of sudden personnel changes, and the Chief has to either take it over, or sell it off to keep it afloat. Then I started digging. And digging more. If this leads me to one bad deal, then we'll find the rest of them. I can't get him for twisting my science and my art, but I'll get him for _something,_ mark my words."

"Does…This mean I'm not on paid leave?"

"No, it just means I have work to do as a cop. I'm sending you to Dr. Muun, at the university. I'll call ahead, and then he'll call you. I want you to take it easy. Relax. I'll call you if there's any changes."

Mako hung his head, but left anyway. He almost punched the wall on his way out.


End file.
